LSU quiets critics with complete game against Florida

GAINESVILLE, FLA. - The applicable words are "thoroughly satisfying," and that sequence of letters hasn't been produced by these hands in connection with an LSU game this season prior to Saturday night.

But that's exactly what LSU's 33-29 victory over Florida was at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Tigers pooling together their most complete game of the season to dominate the Gators and to finally, at long last, look like a team worthy of its No. 12 ranking and of its unbeaten, 6-0 record.

I didn't say it was "clean," because LSU had three first-half gaffes - one by each unit - that allowed Florida more life than it earned on its own.

Defensive tackle Drake Nevis yanked on the facemask of Florida quarterback John Brantley while he was in the process of sacking Brantley and forcing a fumble in the Florida end zone. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson threw an interception, his seventh of the season. Cornerback Patrick Peterson fumbled a punt return.

The first mistake probably robbed LSU of a safety; the second and third allowed Florida to put together touchdown drives of 17 and 16 yards.

Due to that, LSU's halftime lead of 20-14 wasn't quite representative of the way it pushed the Gators (4-2) around, relentlessly pounding away at every orange-colored jersey as if insulted that Florida would resort to such a wardrobe stunt (the Gators hadn't worn orange jerseys since 1989).

But, easily, it was the best all-around effort authored by the Tigers this season, and evidence of what LSU can accomplish when it's as singularly focused and as able to get out of its own way as it was Saturday night.

LSU had a 224-65 advantage in total yards, a 12-4 lead in first downs, a fourth-down conversion and six-minute bulge in time of possession at halftime.

It doesn't matter that these aren't your father's - or Tim Tebow's - Gators. What matters is that the Tigers went on the road, punched Florida in the mouth and kept punching until it landed a knockout blow, Jarrett Lee's 3-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Toliver with six seconds left.

Obviously, the LSU defense was to be commended, even though the Gators scored 29 points. Forget what the scoreboard said: There might not be a better unit of stoppers in the nation and, for sure, there isn't a group LSU would rather have on the field in a close out situation.

But credit for this one should be heaped on Coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who scripted a smooth operation against Florida a week after they were deservedly vilified for the way the offense stunk out Tiger Stadium, and Baton Rouge, against Tennessee seven days earlier.

If the two-quarterback system with Jefferson and Lee wasn't a rousing success, at least it was efficient enough to keep the offense moving forward.

Jefferson was a better runner (11 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns) than thrower (7 for 12 for 100 yards, and the pick), as suspected. Lee was a better thrower (9 for 11 for 124 yards, and two touchdowns) than runner. And Crowton played to their strengths against the Gators (4-2), who largely were handled up front by LSU's offensive line.

But more than playing to their physical advantages, it was obvious that Miles and Crowton connected mentally with their quarterbacks.

Neither lost his poise in front of a crowd that was as loud as any an opponent has faced at Tiger Stadium this year. Neither allowed a bad play or two to send him into a funk. Both contributed significantly to the win, and that's something else that couldn't have been said of the Tigers until Saturday night.

And Miles, whom no one has accused of being a game clock maestro, was close to brilliant in that department against Florida.

He deftly handled the timeout situation at the end of the first half, leaving the Tigers enough time to score twice in the final two minutes of the half, a touchdown and a field goal as time expired that provided the six-point margin.

And the Tigers executed their gutsiest play of the season on the game-winning drive - a 5-yard run by kicker Josh Jasper off a lateral on fourth-and-3 from the Florida 36 - to put LSU in position to win, rather than tie with a field goal.

But they wouldn't have been in position to do that if they hadn't done a slew of other things well, hadn't played as hard and as well as they have in any game this season, and done it on the road against the odds.

The words that come to mind are thoroughly satisfying. They're words the Tigers should apply to themselves, as well, for what they did under the toughest conditions they've faced this season.